We like to think that the journalism we do at the Inlander is anything but trivial. That said, when you've been covering the Inland Northwest for three decades, there's plenty of trivia to be found when poring over our archives.
With that in mind, we've compiled 30 questions to quiz our readers on 30 years of Inlander history. Are some of the questions damn near impossible? Yep! Good luck to all y'all!
1993-1997
1. Name one of the four local merchants that ran an ad in the first edition of the Inlander that's still in business?
2. Which of the following breweries was NOT operating in the Inland Northwest in 1995?
a. Northern Lights
b. Birkebeiner Brewery
c. Golden Hills Brewing
d. Fort Spokane Brewery
e. T.W. Fisher's
3. Jess Walter's first book, Every Knee Shall Bow, was published in 1995. Who or what was the nonfiction book about?
4. What was the title of J. William T. Youngs' 1997 book that went deep to chronicle Expo '74?
a. The Devil in the White City
b. The Fair and the Falls
c. Indecent Expo-sure
d. On the Forefront of the Riverfront
5. What notable multipurpose events venue opened in 1995?
6. What major U.S. retailer opened its first Spokane store in 1996?
a. Trader Joe's
b. IKEA
c. Walmart
d. Best Buy
e. Costco
7. How many potholes were reported in Spokane in 1997?
a. 2,649
b. 27
c. 564
d. 8,791
1998-2002
8. What did Avista change its name from in 1998?
9. One of the nation's biggest powwows was first held at Post Falls Greyhound Park in 1998. What was its name?
10. Which team did Gonzaga men's basketball defeat in the famed "slipper still fits" NCAA Tournament game to reach the school's first Elite Eight?
a. Florida
b. UConn
c. Duke
d. Purdue
11. In Amy Cannata's August 1999 story "Down in the Dumps," she wrote about Forbes' rankings of 162 places to do business. Where did Spokane rank?
12. What type of (struggling) new ranching did the Inlander report on in 1999?
a. Elk
b. Bison
c. Llama
d. Ostrich
13. As reported in a June 2000 Inlander story, which Spokane church has a carillon — an instrument made up of 49 bells weighing between 17 and 5,000 pounds?
14. Name two of the four icons the Inlander formerly used to rate the urgency in which readers should go see a movie we reviewed?
2003-2007
15. People were upset about the "skyrocketing" price of Gonzaga men's basketball season tickets at the new McCarthey Athletic Center (which opened in 2004). How much were the cheapest season tickets?
a. $250
b. $1,000
c. $400
d. $699
16. What weather-ignoring profession was the first category in 2003's Best Of issue?
17. In 2006, the Metropolitan Performing Arts Center was renamed the Bing Crosby Theater. What was the venue's original name when it opened as a movie theater in 1914?
a. Spokane Cinescope
b. Clemmer Theater
c. MGM Reel House
d. Kirtland Cutter Theatre
18. Which local politician proposed that Spokane should host historical walking tours in the year 2008 after taking a trip to Switzerland? (We have them now!)
2008-2012
19. Fill in the blank: In 2010, scientists at the University of Idaho made national headlines for discovering a rare "Giant Palouse _____" — the first time the species had been found and collected in decades.
20. Which restaurant did Guy Fieri NOT visit when shooting an episode of Diners. Drive-ins and Dives in 2010?
a. Ruins
b. Elk Public House
c. Hills' Restaurant and Lounge
d. Frank's Diner
e. Waddell's Pub & Grille
21. David Condon was elected mayor in 2011, despite garnering only 33% of the vote in the mayoral primary. Who won that primary with nearly 60% of the vote?
22. What was the nickname for the civil union law Washington had in place for same-sex couples before marriage equality passed in 2012?
a. Here But Queer
b. Same Love Law
c. Everything But Marriage
d. The Pink Divide
23. What other state joined Washington in legalizing cannabis in 2012?
2013-2017
24. What nerdy Spokane event celebrated its 10th anniversary in May 2016?
25. What icon with a Spokane cinematic connection graced the cover of the Dec. 1, 2016, Inlander issue about '80s nostalgia?
26. What type of chemicals used at Fairchild Air Force Base were found to be polluting the municipal water supply for Airway Heights in May 2017?
a. Glyphosate
b. PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)
c. Nitrates
d. Fluoride
2018-2023
27. What star-studded 2018 movie was based on an actual long-running competition between former Gonzaga Prep students and inspired an Inlander cover story?
28. Before becoming mayor of Spokane, Nadine Woodward worked as a TV newscaster at which two local stations?
29. Which animal did the city of Sandpoint deem a public nuisance in 2020?
a. Rats
b. Deer
c. Geese
d. Racoons
30. In 2023, the Inlander celebrated how many years in its Kendall Yards offices? (Its sixth headquarters since 1993!)
JUST HOW INLANDER ARE YOU?
Zero correct answers - Welcome to town! It's pronounced Spo-can, not Spo-kane.
1-3 - You do know we put these issues out every week for free, right?
4-7 - We appreciate you picking up the issue, Gen Z reader.
8-10 - At least you probably know what the Trash Goat is.
11-13 - Producing better results than the north-south freeway construction.
14-17 - Has purchased "Spokane Doesn't Suck" merch and believes it.
18-20 - More coolly mellow than Bing Crosby.
21-23 - Have you considered a side gig as a local tour guide?
24-27 - A scoring threat that would rival Adam Morrison.
28-29 - All hail the Ken Jennings of Spokane.
30 - So when can you join the Inlander staff?
TRIVIA ANSWERS
- Boo Radley’s, Global Credit Union, Hospice of Spokane, KXLY-AM 920
- C
- Randy Weaver and the Ruby Ridge Standoff
- B
- Spokane Arena
- C
- 2,649 (if you are within 20 potholes of this, we will consider it a correct answer)
- Washington Water Power
- Julyamsh
- A
- 161st
- D
- St. John’s Cathedral
- Diamond (Don’t miss this film) | Thumbs up (Worth $7) | VHS tape (Wait for the DVD) | Turkey (Save your money)
- $400 | C
- Best Local Letter Carrier
- B
- Lisa Brown
- Earthworm
- D
- Mary Verner
- C
- Colorado
- Lilac City Comicon
